


On a Winter's Night

by seimaisin



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, F/M, Huddling For Warmth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 03:57:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/646303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seimaisin/pseuds/seimaisin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>The draftiest place in the entire Tower had to be the apprentice quarters.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	On a Winter's Night

The draftiest place in the entire Tower had to be the apprentice quarters, Solona thought as she pulled her blankets around her. Someday - someday soon, she hoped - she would undergo her Harrowing, and then she’d get a room upstairs where hopefully, the wind wouldn’t blow across her face as she was trying to sleep. She sat up, keeping the blankets firmly around her shoulders, and glared at the wall closest to her. “Brrrr,” she said aloud, without meaning to, her teeth chattering.

“Go to sleep,” she heard someone say, in a sleepy mutter that didn’t allow her to identify gender, much less speaker. Doubtless, someone would tease her about this tomorrow. They always did - her Marcher blood was too thin, they said, even though she’d been in Ferelden for far longer than she ever lived in Kirkwall. She barely remembered Kirkwall, in fact, and wouldn’t know she came from there if the First Enchanter hadn’t said something to her as a child. But once the other kids found out she wasn’t a native, it became a topic for teasing. Especially in the winter, as Solona never could seem to get warm, no matter how many coats and capes and furs she managed to pile on. 

She certainly wasn’t going to get warm right now, and if she wasn’t warm, she wasn’t going to sleep. So Solona stood up, wrapping one of her blankets around her like a cape, and slipped into her shoes. She quietly made her way toward the door, pointedly ignoring the snort and heavy sigh she heard coming from one of the other beds. 

The templar outside the apprentice quarters looked at her when she opened the door. “I’m cold,” she whispered to him. “I need to walk around to warm up a little.”

The man nodded. “The wind is howling out there. I’m almost grateful for the armor tonight.”

“You think you could lend it to me for a little while?”

That got her a laugh, and a shooing motion. “Go. I think there are still people up in the library, so there should be a fire built over there.”

“Thanks.” 

There were, in fact, mages up and about in the library, with a lone templar standing guard at the door, yawning. Solona slipped past him with a nod and a smile and walked in. Three men sat around the table closest to the fire, deep in conversation. One gestured at an open book in the middle of the table, while the other two leaned on their elbows and listened. Solona crept closer, curious. But, before she could hear anything of their discussion, the mage closest to her looked at her. “Solona? What are you doing up?”

She smiled and took the question as an invitation to approach the table. “Hi, Niall. Can’t sleep. Too cold.”

“Why don’t you get some extra blankets?”

“I already have three. No one will give up another one for me.”

“A delicate Marcher, you are,” Niall teased. “It’s practically spring weather tonight.”

“Quiet, you. Says the man who no longer has to sleep in the apprentice quarters.”

Niall’s companions began to pack up their books. “I’m sorry,” Solona said, “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It’s fine, we just didn’t realize how late it was getting. Apprentices aren’t the only ones who need sleep, you know.” 

“Don’t put out the fire just yet,” she begged, as one of the men moved toward the fireplace. “Please leave it, at least for a little bit.” He inclined his head to her and left the fire alone. She moved over to stand in front of it, letting the blanket fall to the ground as she held her hands out to warm them. 

A moment later, she felt the blanket settle back around her shoulders, followed by Niall’s arms encircling her waist. “One of these years,” he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head, “you’ll learn how to deal with a proper Ferelden winter.”

“Or maybe,” she countered, “when I become an enchanter, they’ll send me to another Circle in a more civilized area of the world. Starkhaven, maybe. Or Rivain.” 

“Really? You’d leave all of us behind?”

“In a heartbeat,” she joked, snuggling back into his arms and enjoying the scent of him - dust and old books, for the most part, mixed with something musky and male. “What have you been doing today?”

“We’ve been looking for texts in the old archives. Irving has us researching old battle spells, ones we no longer teach.”

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you that. Sorry,” he said, as she muttered good-naturedly, “but it’s a sensitive subject. I’m definitely not supposed to be discussing it with an apprentice.”

“Someday,” she said, sighing, “I’ll have my Harrowing, and be able to participate in secret quests and such.”

“Someday,” he agreed. “Soon, I’ll bet.”

“I hope so. I’m getting tired of waiting.”

“Trust me. You’re almost ready. I overheard Irving mention you the other day.”

“Really? I thought you weren’t supposed to talk about your super-secret stuff.”

“That’s not super-secret. Someone asked about higher level apprentices, and you were one of the names mentioned.”

A warmth spread through Solona, one that had nothing to do with the fire. It was nice to know the First Enchanter thought well of her. It was also nice, she thought, to feel Niall’s arms tighten around her. “I miss you, you know,” she murmured. “You don’t come down and visit us lowly apprentices any more.”

“There’s a lot going on right now. But I’m sorry,” he added. “I miss you, too.”

The Harrowing had taken Niall away from her just as their friendship was on the verge of turning into something more. Some teasing, a few lingering touches, one stolen kiss … and then he was promoted, and the apprentice quarters were emptier without him. Two years, he’d been away, but being with him here felt like no time at all had passed. 

On a whim, she turned in his embrace. He looked surprised when she faced him, but kept his arms around her waist. She rested her hands lightly on his chest, reached up on her toes, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Maybe,” she said, feeling his breath on her face, “when I’m no longer an apprentice, we can get reacquainted.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. 

Suddenly, they heard a cough. Niall backed up, releasing her, as the templar on guard at the door approached them. “Time for bed,” he said firmly. “Both of you.” 

Solona sighed. Niall just nodded, and moved toward the fire. “I’ll take care of this,” he said. “You go on ahead back to bed.”

“All right.” She paused, though. “Niall?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks. For the warmth.”

He smiled at her. “Any time.” 

Solona walked back to the apprentice quarters with a smile on her face. The winter night no longer felt quite so threatening.


End file.
